The best and worst Premier League debuts of all time…
Manchester United could hand Premier League debuts to as many as four of their new signings later today, when Louis van Gaal’s side face Queens Park Rangers.
Deadline day signings Radamel Falcao and Daley Blind will be hoping to impress their new employers, as will Marcos Rojo after his delayed arrival caused work permit issues, and Luke Shaw, who has thus far been hampered by an injury.
They will be hoping to surpass former United player Danny Welbeck, who was quiet on his first appearance for Arsenal on Saturday, and match the performances of several members of our top ten.
Of course, not all of those top ten had memorable debuts for the right reasons. Click though our list below and find out more:
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10) Joe Cole (Liverpool)
The former Chelsea man set the tone for his entire Liverpool career when, on the stroke of half-time, he saw a straight red card after a two-footed lunge on Arsenal’s Laurent Koscielny deep in the opposition’s half. As a result, he was ruled out for the next three matches and never recovered.
9) Diego Costa (Chelsea)
The Spanish forward, coming off the back of a poor World Cup, immediately answered the critics who said he would not adapt to life in the Premier League. He scored his team’s opening goal in a 3-1 win over Burnley, and has continue to score freely ever since.
8) Alan Smith (Leeds United)
The teenage striker lived up to the hype surrounding his talents by scoring with his very first touch of the ball for his hometown club. His goal helped Leeds claim a 3-1 win over Liverpool at Anfield, while Smith would go on to enjoy a career with the likes of Manchester United and Newcastle United.
7) Cesc Fabregas (Chelsea)
Several critics had questioned the Spaniard’s performances during his time with Barcelona, but those critics were quickly answered following Fabregas’ return to the Premier League. The former Arsenal man put in a man-of-the-match performance against Burnley, and looks to be one of the signings of the season.
6) Fabrizio Ravanelli (Middlesborough)
When the £7m hitman arrived from Juventus in the summer of 1996, he stood out from the rest of the pack with his silver hair and swashbuckling approach in front of goal. The opening game of the 96/97 season saw him grab a hat-trick in a thrilling 3-3 draw at home to Liverpool.
5) Eric Dier (Tottenham Hotspur)
The little known summer arrival from Sporting Lisbon started the day in defence, and coolly helped ensure that Tottenham would keep a clean-sheet against West Ham on the opening day of the new Premier League season. Few however expected him to find himself upfront in the final seconds, netting a dramatic winning goal.
4) Tomas Repka (West Ham United)
The current Sparta Prague coach marked his entrance into England’s top division by taking the walk of shame in his very first match for the Hammers, against Middlesborough. Two yellow cards saw the Czech Republic international banned for the following match, before going on to receive a red card in his third game for the club.
3) Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)
The Argentine centre forward looked on a completely different level as he burst onto the Premier League scene as a substitute against newly promoted Swansea City. Aguero scored within ten minutes, brilliantly set up David Silva for another goal and then put the seal on a 4-0 victory with a stunning strike from distance.
2) James Vaughan (Everton)
The Toffees youngster set a new Premier League record when he found the back of the net on his debut against Crystal Palace. With just three minutes left 16-year-old Vaughan struck from close-range to become the league’s youngest ever scorer, beating James Milner’s previous record by 86 days.
1) Jurgen Klinnsmann (Tottenham Hotspur)
The German World Cup winner arrived at White Hart Lane with a reputation as a deadly finisher – and a serial diver. A goal in his first game, against Wednesday, coupled with a self-mocking celebration made him an instant hero with the Spurs fans. Just the first of numerous goals for the Spurs legend.
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